‘Dead Island’ Announcement Trailer Shambles Into View

Published 4 years ago
by
Jacob Siegal
, Updated September 18th, 2012 at 11:57 am,

The internet started buzzing yesterday when the official announcement trailer for Dead Island started spreading like a zombie infection. As exciting as the trailer is, the game itself sounds like it’s going to be worth looking out for as well. The zombie phenomenon had finally seemed to be wearing its welcome a little thin, but Dead Island might be able to reinvigorate the neck-biting undead monster within us all.

IGN got an early first look at the game, and have made it clear that Techland are spending all the time and resources necessary to craft a unique and engaging story as well as a fun game. The titular location of Dead Island is luxurious Banoi in Papau New Guinea, and the protagonist is a vacationer lodging at the Royal Palms Resort.

Throughout the course of the game the player, along with several other survivors, will attempt to escape the overrun island by learning the secrets of the outbreak along the way.

In case the resemblance to Dead Rising has started to ebb your interest in the game, the differences in gameplay and tone seem stark enough to make Dead Island an entirely new experience. Your defense against the zombies will consist of items found lying around the island, but don’t expect to see lawnmowers and samurai swords around every corner.

Firearms of any kind will be rare, and household items are vital for survival. Techland described the game as a “first-person zombie-slasher/action-RPG,” and it seems like the pace will be much more deliberate than either Dead Rising or Left 4 Dead.

The success of The Walking Dead might seem like a trigger for a gritty and realistic zombie title like this, but in fact the game has been in development since 2007. The game flew off the radar for almost everyone over the past four years, and Techland has been working on and releasing other projects such as nail’d, but it looks like the wait has paid off.

Watch the VERY GRAPHIC trailer below and see what all the fuss is about:

[Warning: Graphic Violence]

The zombie genre has been stretched very thin over the past decade. Techland and Deep Silver both seem to be fully aware of that, and if the game is as emotionally driven as the trailer, this might be more than just another addition to the growing pile of zombie entertainment.

Are you willing to give another zombie game a chance, or has the genre run its course? Do you think Dead Island might be unique enough to warrant another dip into the genre? Let us know in the comments below.

Dead Island is scheduled to be released sometime in 2011 for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

I saw their history too, and you’re right, the track record doesn’t excite me. But this might well be both companies breaking free from their unimpressive pasts to make something worthwhile. I’m keepin’ the faith.